The Young Leaders in the Green Movement steering committee is a grassroots leadership committee made up of young workers of color, ages 17-34, in South Seattle and South King County which seeks to create career pathways in order to develop leaders in the environmental justice movement. We were formed in 2013, following Got Green’s community participatory action research, the Young Workers in the Green Economy Project, to figure out what were barriers that young adults of color faced that met at the intersection of racial, economic, and environmental justice.
When we asked 150 young adults of color what were their barriers to employment and how important it is work a job that is green or good for the environment, the survey results showed that 2 out of 3 young people chose a 4 or 5 on a 1-5 scale in relation to environmental importance. The data also showed that lack of paid work experience is as a barrier to employment. Since then we have been developing a campaign that would address a lack of paid work experience and give an outlet to young adults high interest in gaining employment in environmental health fields.
As we looked at what services Seattle City government offered for paid work experience, we found issues of racial disproportionally in relation to whether an intern/participant in a paid work experience program, was receiving below minimum wage, minimum wage, or a living wage, especially amongst African American and Latino young workers. We also couldn’t get a clear answer about how many internships were in an environmental field.
Join our Campaign Launch on MARCH17th 12PM to call on our Seattle elected officials to create 100 living wage,environmentally sustainable internships targeted at young adults of color and young people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in our City.
Also if you are interested in joining our Art-making party to help prepare signs for the march join us, Saturday March 14, 2015 11am-2pm (email Mo! for location)
To get involved please contact Mo! at mo@gotgreen.org or 253-234-7424. or register for the Launch here!